Punjab CM Amarinder Singh wants to retain the bungalow on humanitarian ground. (File Photo)
New Delhi:
A Delhi court has told Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to vacate a government bungalow allocated to him when he was a Member of Parliament. The court called him an "unauthorised occupant".
The court dismissed an appeal filed by Mr Singh against the March 24 order of the Estate Officer, asking Mr Singh to vacate the bungalow at Janpath in New Delhi.
"The appellant's contention that he could not have been termed as unauthorised occupant as his initial allotment was valid till 2019 and he has been paying market rent, is untenable," District and Sessions Judge Poonam A Bamba said.
"Thus, it is evident that the appellant is in unauthorised occupation of the said premises since December 23, 2016," Ms Bamba said.
The court rejected Mr Singh's contention that his representation before the Lok Sabha House Committee chairman to retain the premises on humanitarian grounds was pending.
"Mere pendency of his representation does not in any manner confer any authority on the appellant to occupy the said premises. Admittedly, no further retention has been permitted," the court said.
According to the Estate Officer order, the premise was allotted to Mr Singh as an MP from Amritsar constituency, which was to expire in 2019. Mr Singh resigned from the Lok Sabha on November 23 last year and the bungalow's allotment was cancelled with effect from December 23, 2016. He was directed to give the bungalow to the Central Public Works Department or CPWD.
Mr Singh made a representation before the Lok Sabha House Committee chairman on February 10 this year, requesting that he be allowed to retain the premises on humanitarian grounds as he was a heart patient. He said he was also placed under Z-plus security owing to high threat perception against him.
While his representation was pending, he received a notice on February 14 asking him to show cause on February 23 why an order of eviction be not passed against him. The eviction order was then passed in March.
Earlier, former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was also hunting for a house. The Amarinder Singh-government had offered a suitable bungalow to Mr Badal, but he had declined it.
The court dismissed an appeal filed by Mr Singh against the March 24 order of the Estate Officer, asking Mr Singh to vacate the bungalow at Janpath in New Delhi.
"The appellant's contention that he could not have been termed as unauthorised occupant as his initial allotment was valid till 2019 and he has been paying market rent, is untenable," District and Sessions Judge Poonam A Bamba said.
"Thus, it is evident that the appellant is in unauthorised occupation of the said premises since December 23, 2016," Ms Bamba said.
The court rejected Mr Singh's contention that his representation before the Lok Sabha House Committee chairman to retain the premises on humanitarian grounds was pending.
"Mere pendency of his representation does not in any manner confer any authority on the appellant to occupy the said premises. Admittedly, no further retention has been permitted," the court said.
According to the Estate Officer order, the premise was allotted to Mr Singh as an MP from Amritsar constituency, which was to expire in 2019. Mr Singh resigned from the Lok Sabha on November 23 last year and the bungalow's allotment was cancelled with effect from December 23, 2016. He was directed to give the bungalow to the Central Public Works Department or CPWD.
Mr Singh made a representation before the Lok Sabha House Committee chairman on February 10 this year, requesting that he be allowed to retain the premises on humanitarian grounds as he was a heart patient. He said he was also placed under Z-plus security owing to high threat perception against him.
While his representation was pending, he received a notice on February 14 asking him to show cause on February 23 why an order of eviction be not passed against him. The eviction order was then passed in March.
Earlier, former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was also hunting for a house. The Amarinder Singh-government had offered a suitable bungalow to Mr Badal, but he had declined it.
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